Backlash

by Traci Hunter Abramson

  “Okay.” Riley waited for Amy to push open the door, and together both women crossed the threshold.

  Amy pointed at the food Riley was carrying. “Go ahead and put that in the refrigerator. Then we can get started on the other stuff.”

  Riley walked into the kitchen as the cell phone in her pocket chimed. She slid the dish into the empty refrigerator and then pulled the phone free to read her new text message.

  Amy followed her into the kitchen. “Who was that?”

  “Tristan just texted me. He said they’re stuck in traffic.”

  “In that case, we should have plenty of time.”

  * * *

  The first thing Marilyn noticed when she pulled up in front of her new house was Riley Crowther and Amy Miller standing on her front porch. “What are they doing here?”

  “They offered to come over in case the delivery men showed up early,” Kel told her as Marilyn pulled up in the driveway beside Tristan’s truck. She had barely put the car in park before he opened the door and shifted his crutches so he could maneuver himself to stand. He turned back to Marilyn and grinned. “Come on.”

  Marilyn grabbed her laptop case and moved to his side.

  As they headed up the front walk, Amy grinned at them. “Welcome home! You really picked out a great house.”

  “Thanks,” Kel said as Brent and Tristan emerged from inside the house.

  Tristan came down the stairs and met them halfway. “Riley brought some lunch for us. I say we eat first. Then we can unload.”

  “That works for me,” Kel agreed. “Did any of the deliveries come yet?”

  “Not yet.” Tristan shook his head. He waited until Marilyn passed by him and walked up onto the porch before he lowered his voice and added, “The security alarm company dropped by, though. The guy took a look around and said he would be back at two.”

  Kel looked wary. “Did you check the guy’s ID?”

  Tristan laughed now. “Oh yeah. The guy was pretty surprised that I asked for it. I also called the company like you asked and made sure he was the one they sent.”

  “Good.” Kel nodded his approval.

  “You know, if I hadn’t been at your house the other night, I would think you were starting to get paranoid.”

  Kel’s eyebrows lifted, his expression serious as his eyes shifted to the porch where Marilyn now stood with the other two women.

  Tristan glanced back at Riley and then turned back to face him. His voice held understanding as he added, “I wish you didn’t have to take so many precautions in your private life.”

  “Me, too,” Kel agreed. “Come on. Let’s eat.”

  As they moved into the kitchen, Marilyn was surprised to see a wide chair and a half in the living room. The color was a shade darker than the butter-cream walls, and the tags were still attached to the arm of the chair.

  “Where did that come from?”

  “It’s a housewarming present.” Amy joined her. “If you don’t like it, we can exchange it, but it just looked like it belonged in this house.”

  Marilyn’s eyes widened, and her voice was incredulous as she turned to Amy and asked, “You bought this for us?”

  Amy nodded sheepishly. “I was in this furniture store yesterday checking out the sale items. I was debating on whether or not you would like this when a sales guy came in and told me that everything in the clearance room was an additional 50 percent off.” Her shoulders lifted, and a little grin crossed her face. “I couldn’t help it.”

  “In other words,” Brent began, as he put a hand on Amy’s shoulder, “my wife can’t be trusted with a credit card in a furniture store.”

  “Now that isn’t true,” Amy insisted. She tried to look offended, and then she laughed. “I just can’t be trusted with a credit card in a furniture store when I have an SUV parked outside.”

  Marilyn ran a hand over the soft fabric and then lowered herself into the chair. The cushions sank comfortably beneath her. Then she leaned back and sighed. “Oh, my gosh. I could sleep in this thing.”

  “You see why I got it?” Amy’s eyebrows lifted as Marilyn looked up at her.

  “Oh yeah.” She laughed now and pushed herself out of the chair. Surprise showed on Amy’s face when Marilyn crossed the room and gave her a hug. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” Amy grinned. Then she slung an arm around Marylin’s shoulder. “Come on. Let’s go something to eat, and then we can help you unpack.”

  “That sounds great.”

  25

  Kel watched Marilyn as she made him another sandwich. Everyone was standing around their new kitchen eating off of paper plates, and for once, his wife looked like she belonged. Even though the other two men in the room had been in his life for most of their marriage, Marilyn had rarely spent any time with them unless they happened to go to church together. She had always shied away from their wives, as well.

  Marilyn finished making the sandwich and handed it to him. “Here you go.”

  “Thanks.” Kel shifted his weight so he could take it from her. Then he turned to Riley and said, “This was really great of you to bring over stuff for lunch.”

  “That’s what friends are for.” Riley smiled and motioned to the refrigerator. “There’s also a casserole in the fridge for you for dinner. The baking instructions are taped on top.”

  “You didn’t have to do that,” Marilyn said as her relaxed stance became a little guarded.

  “I wanted to,” Riley told her. “Besides, by the time we get everything unpacked, we may end up inviting ourselves to join you for dinner.”

  “We don’t really have that much stuff.” Marilyn seemed to relax again as she leaned against the counter. “Just a couple of suitcases and a few pieces of furniture we picked up this week.”

  “Actually, you have a bit more than that,” Tristan drawled, his eyes lighting with mischief.

  “What do you mean?” Marilyn asked.

  “These two instigated a little covert operation at your house.” Brent pointed at Amy and Riley.

  Marilyn looked at Amy and Riley, her brow furrowed. “Covert operation? I don’t understand.”

  Kel shifted closer and put a hand on Marilyn’s shoulder. “What they’re saying is that they sneaked into our house and smuggled a bunch of our stuff out when no one was looking.”

  “You did what?” Marilyn’s jaw dropped open. Then she shifted away so she could look at Kel. “I thought it was too dangerous to go back to our house.”

  “It is,” Kel started, not sure how to explain that his men had taken risks that he wouldn’t have approved of had he been consulted.

  “I guess you could call this a rogue operation—” Amy commented as she gave Kel a perceptive smile. “One where we didn’t ask for our commanding officer’s approval because we knew he would say no.”

  “You know the old saying,” Riley said knowingly. “‘It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.’”

  “Sometimes I think that saying should be our motto.” Tristan laughed. He wiped his mouth with a napkin and then tossed it and his paper plate into the trash bag Riley had set next to the kitchen counter. “Are you all ready to unload?”

  “I am.” Brent turned toward the front door as the doorbell rang. “It looks like your furniture made it.”

  Kel turned to Marilyn. “I’ll let you tell them where you want it.”

  “Are you saying you don’t care how our bedroom furniture is set up or that you don’t want to go up the stairs?”

  “Both.” Kel winked at her. “Don’t worry. I trust your judgment.”

  Marilyn hesitated a moment and looked at Kel. Then, with a shy smile, she nodded and headed for the front door.

  * * *

  Marilyn finished putting a new comforter on her new bed and took a step back. Then she smiled. The oak bedroom set was exactly what she had wanted for years but had never dared spend the money on. She cringed a little inwardly as she thought of the price they had paid for it, but f
or once, she refused to let her buyer’s remorse overshadow the enjoyment of having something new.

  The headboard was an intricate crisscross pattern, a pattern that was duplicated on the drawer handles of both dressers. Several trash bags full of clothing still lay on the floor even though Amy and Riley had offered to help her put everything away. Not sure if everything in their dressers had been packed, Marilyn had decided to save that task for herself.

  Instead, Marilyn had identified the bags containing their hanging clothes and had let the other two women help her get her closet in order. After unpacking what they could, all three women had then gone to the store to pick up a few more essentials Marilyn hadn’t gotten to yet. Together they had picked out her new bedding along with new towels and trash cans for the bathrooms, a handful of decorating items, and some basic groceries.

  Not knowing the other women well, Marilyn had been a bit intimidated at first as Amy and Riley had offered suggestions and opinions. She had felt herself withdrawing, afraid to express her opinion around them. Then Amy had picked up a ridiculous bright purple stuffed rhino. Marilyn couldn’t help it. She’d laughed right along with Amy and Riley as they wondered who would buy such an item.

  While Marilyn was bonding with her new friends, the men had made a trip to the hardware store to make some purchases of their own, including a new grill and patio set for the deck. Together they had all eaten dinner outside as the sun dropped down over the quiet water. Marilyn couldn’t remember ever having a better day.

  She looked around the bedroom once more, deciding that the rest of their clothes could wait until morning to be unpacked. She wandered into the other bedrooms, wondering if Kel would want to furnish them anytime soon.

  The one nearest the master bedroom was the smallest and looked like it would be perfect for a baby’s room. Marilyn pushed that thought away, along with the ache that never quite faded. She leaned on the doorjamb of the next room, a little smile crossing her face as she visualized white sheer curtains billowing in the breeze against the two windows that overlooked the front yard. She could picture the walls a pretty blue with a bed done all in white in the center of the room for any guests who might visit.

  The room across the hall had wide windows that overlooked the sloping backyard. She wandered into the room and crossed to the windows so she could get a better look at the water. This would be the perfect place to put a desk, a place for her to set up her laptop and escape from reality as she found time to write.

  She turned and looked around the room, letting herself dream of what she wanted the room to look like. A wide, open desk would stretch along the wall in front of the windows, with bookshelves on the far wall. What would it be like, she wondered, to have stacks of writing and reference books along with some of her favorite novels? Maybe even a comfortable chair where she could enjoy a book or read her own work.

  Of course, it would never happen. With the little office downstairs, Kel would expect that they would put a desk in there, along with a bookshelf or two they could share. He couldn’t possibly understand what it would mean to her to have her own space to indulge her love of writing. How could he? She couldn’t imagine trying to explain her dreams to him.

  Turning, she left the room and her dreams behind and made her way downstairs. She walked past the dining room where Kel’s new treadmill and exercise bike were now set up and ready to use. She then entered the kitchen where Kel was unpacking their new dishes and loading them into the dishwasher.

  Marilyn crossed to him and smiled when he leaned toward her for a kiss.

  “I assumed that you would want these washed before we used them,” Kel told her. “They were pretty dusty.”

  “You assumed correctly.” Marilyn nodded. “You’ve got to be exhausted.”

  “Me?” Kel shook his head. “I’ve hardly done anything. You’re the one who must be tired.”

  “A little,” Marilyn admitted as she slid onto one of the wooden bar stools she had found at the thrift store. “I still can’t believe your squad went into our house and got so many of our things.”

  “They still haven’t told me exactly how they managed to get a vanload of stuff out of there without any of the neighbors calling the cops on them.”

  “I have a feeling it might be better if we don’t ask.”

  Kel laughed. “Trust that feeling.”

  The corners of her mouth curved up. Then she looked around the kitchen and let out a little laugh. “I keep feeling like someone is going to walk in here and tell me that there’s been some huge misunderstanding and that this isn’t really our house.”

  Kel grinned at her. “I was thinking the same thing while I was doing the dishes.”

  Marilyn’s eyes met his. Then she slid off of the stool and skirted around the counter so she could wrap her arms around his waist. “I really love this house.”

  “Me, too,” Kel said. Then he shifted so he could see her face. “I hope you’re happy here.”

  “I hope we’re both happy here.” She reached up to kiss him, drawing him closer. Then she looked up at him. “I think you’ve been on your feet for too long today.”

  “I am feeling a bit tired,” Kel agreed. “I might consider going to bed if you come with me. I mean, I wouldn’t feel right about turning in for the night if you were still up working.”

  Amused, Marilyn’s eyebrows lifted. “Oh, really?”

  “Yeah.” Kel nodded and pulled her closer for another kiss. Then his voice dropped to a whisper. “Really.”

  26

  Kel shifted his weight on his crutches, making his way into the dining room where his exercise equipment was currently stored. He had read an article online about a doctor who said he tried to get his patients on an exercise bike as soon as possible after Kel’s type of surgery to help with strength and motion. After dealing with crutches for five days, Kel was ready to start moving beyond simple stretches.

  Lowering his crutches to the ground, he eased himself onto the bicycle and positioned the pedals so that he could start with his injured leg in a relatively straight position. He shifted his weight, using his good leg to move the pedals forward. He winced in pain just as he heard Marilyn’s voice.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Exercising.” Kel looked down at his knee before looking back at her. “I hope.”

  Marilyn put her hands on her hips, disapproval obvious in her voice. “You know you shouldn’t be on that bike already.”

  Insecurities rippled through him, and his own tone took on an edge. “I thought you said you wanted me to get better.”

  “Yes, and part of you getting better is to not push so fast that you cause even more damage,” Marilyn insisted matter-of-factly. Then she let out a sigh. “Kel, it hasn’t even been a week.”

  Kel pointed at the crutches. “Marilyn, I don’t think I can stand being on these things anymore.”

  He wasn’t sure what he expected when he looked at her, but the complete understanding surprised him. She took a step closer and leaned forward to give him a gentle kiss. “How about a compromise?”

  “What kind of compromise?” Kel asked warily.

  “I’ll take you in to meet with the physical therapist first thing on Monday morning if you will promise to use those crutches for the rest of the weekend and stay off of the exercise equipment.”

  “That doesn’t sound like much of a compromise,” Kel told her. “I already have an appointment with the physical therapist on Thursday.”

  “Which means you might be able to start your rehab three days earlier,” Marilyn said, looking pointedly at the bike before looking back at him. “Without guessing if starting too soon might cause your knee even more damage than is already there.”

  Kel let out a sigh. “Okay. You win.”

  “Good. Now, if you really want some exercise, there’s a yard sale a few blocks over. We still have a lot of furniture to replace.”

  “You know we can just go to the furniture store if you want,” K
el reminded her.

  “Just because you have money in the bank doesn’t mean I need to spend it,” Marilyn said. “Besides, we can go to the furniture store after we check out the yard sale.”

  Kel laughed and nodded. “Deal.”

  * * *

  “You really don’t have to help me with all of this,” Marilyn told Riley as she pulled open a trash bag full of clothes. “You did so much for us yesterday.”

  “Don’t be silly.” Riley brushed aside Marilyn’s concerns. “I had fun yesterday. Besides, I really didn’t want to go with the guys to pick up your stuff from the yard sale. I much prefer helping organize things once they’re already moved in.”

  “I can’t believe how much stuff we found today,” Marilyn admitted, excitement humming through her voice. “The kitchen table and the entertainment unit looked like they were brand new.”

  “Have you found a couch yet?”

  Marilyn shook her head. “Nothing that we both like. Kel did pick out a new recliner, though. I figure we can live with just that and the chair Amy got us until we find what we really want.”

  Riley nodded and then let out a little laugh. “Amy was so funny about that chair.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “It was a total impulse buy for her, but then she was so worried you wouldn’t like it.”

  “Really? Amy doesn’t look like she ever worries about anything.”

  “I know. She hides it well.” Riley nodded in agreement. Then she motioned to the trash bags stacked against a wall in the bedroom. “Okay, tell me what goes where.”

  Marilyn stepped beside her and pulled open a trash bag. Together they started unpacking all of the clothes and sorting them into the new dressers. Marilyn tried not to think about the fact that a bunch of men had packed her things. Seeing that there was no order to the contents, she guessed that they hadn’t been any more comfortable about the prospect of packing her clothes than she was. It looked like they had simply dumped the contents of the drawer without even looking inside.

  A sense of anticipation shot through her when she found the contents of her underwear drawer. Marilyn quickly started emptying the bag. When she reached the bottom without finding the folder she kept her writing in, she felt a little sense of panic. She knew it was possible that it might still be in her old house, but she had hoped that it was somewhere in her things, somewhere where she would find it before anyone else might.